The Baby Loft Singapore is officially launched!!

Visit our new Singapore online store for 10% off all products, in December only!!

Singapore store coming soon...

Shhh...yes you heard it here...The Baby Loft is opening an online store for our Singapore shoppers, stay tuned for the official launch!!!

DivaMom nursing tanks available in new colors!

You loved our classic black...now you can get DivaMom nursing tanks in brand new colors and designs! Psst..psst...limited time 10% off sale going on too :)

Visit our Desa Parkcity store or shop online to get them quick

Baby Signing Class

Baby Signing Course
"Sign, Say & Play"

A registered Baby Signs® 6-week class for baby and parent, starting Nov 9 2008. Email us to register.

Join us at Midvalley Parenthood Expo this weekend!

THE BABY LOFT
will be at

Parenthood Expo

Opening Times :
Friday 22nd August 2008 : 10.30am to 9pm
Saturday 23rd August 2008 : 10.30am to 9pm
Sunday 24th August 2008 : 10.30am to 8.30pm

Mid Valley Convention Centre
BOOTH 20

Join us :) and see you soon!

Travel safely with your baby

Are you going to be flying with your baby? One of the biggest travel concern from parents is the safety of their child. The Baby B'Air Flight Vest is one way to put your child in a safer environment for the flight. In U.S., Baby B'Air is currently meeting with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to expand the use of the vest for the entire flight, including taxi and takeoff. You can find out more about the flight vest in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_SEAq1pQVs

The Flight Vest is available in our Desa Parkcity boutique in KL, or online in our Malaysia or U.S. store.

One woman's view on babywearing...

An excerpt from an article in the Times Free Press:

...In these days of constant balancing acts most mothers play, I already know I want something more simple. I’m sure I’ve idealized the whole process, but I have fantasies of toting a baby on my back while I go about my chores, mashing up real bananas for my tiny tot to eat and giving him or her therapeutic massage.

I spoke with a young woman the other day who was “wearing” her baby in a cloth wrap just like women in more traditional cultures do. As we talked, she told me about her Attachment Parenting International (API) group. In short, attachment parenting involves going back to more traditional ways of nurturing babies and infants...

By: Tabi Upton
Read more at http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/10/upton-parenting-strategies-today/

You can get your sling or pouch today...
~ Products: Baby carriers come in several styles and fabrics. Choose yours to fit your preferences...

Ring Sling - versatile to carry baby in different positions, adjustable for mommy and daddy to share, doubles as a blanket or nursing cover.

Pouch - easy to use with no buckles or rings to fumble with, reversible design, choose cotton for daily use or fashionable silk

Peanut Butter & Jelly Flower sandwiches!!

Make your daily meals fun for your little ones again...they'll think it's a new treat but it's really just your good old PB&J!

These cute sandwiches made with peanut butter and jelly (or cream cheese and jelly, or any other fillings) are perfect for parties, lunch boxes, or snacks. RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Bread
Peanut butter or cream cheese
Jelly or jam
Water bottle cap

1. For each sandwich, cut two slices of bread into flower shapes with a cookie cutter.

2. Cut a hole in one of the slices by pressing a water bottle cap into the center.

3. Spread the peanut butter and jelly on the whole piece and place the slice with the hole on top.

Courtesy of FamilyFun magazine

Set up a Gift Registry for multiple stores

My Gift List offers a free private, universal gift registry. You can add products from multiple vendors for your baby, wedding, birthday, etc.

Many of our customers have included The Baby Loft items in their registry, simply include the TBL site product URL when you set up the registry!

What to pack for the hospital...

Giving birth is an exciting time...get your hospital bag packed early...then sit back and enjoy the process!

- 1 set of comfy clothes for yourself for the day you come home (maternity clothes work fine, and don't forget a set of nursing bra and big comfy undies)
- 1 set of pajamas for daddy
- Socks
- Slippers
- Lip balm
- Lotion
- Toothbrush and toothpaste for both mommy and daddy
- Toiletries for both mommy and daddy (facial wash, moisturizer, etc)
- Hair brush and hair ties (if you have long hair)
- Phone numbers for family
- Phone numbers for doctors, insurance company
- Books to keep yourself entertained while you are recovering
- Snacks and plenty of water, for daddy to munch on while he waits and between meals for mommy
- Nursing privacy cover for the times when you have guests while baby is feeding (or use your baby sling instead)
- Clothes to wear at the hospital (most mommies prefer to stay in hospital gowns...if you bring your own, make sure they are big and comfy, and easy to access for nursing)
- 2 sets of baby clothes for the day baby comes home (in case baby has a boo-boo before he/she heads out)
- Baby sling to carry baby
- Baby blanket
- Car seat for baby
- Camera!!

Any other things that worked for you? Send your comments along!

Update for Malaysians in Motion, see Adrian in a LOFTSling

Remember our friends Ghani, Alison and 3-year-old Adrian? They started their journey on May 1 in Europe. The pictures are amazing, they have immersed themselves into the each culture and are meeting interesting local folks.

Alison continues to carry Adrian in a ring sling, take a look...
Adrian taking a nap on Mommy's shoulder
Adrian carried on Mommy's back to walk up a steep slope (on 24th May 2008)

Remember the sling can carry up to 18kg so even your toddler can continue to use it like Adrian, get your sling at The Baby Loft.

Gestational diabetes ups obesity risk in offspring

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children born to mothers who developed diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to be overweight or obese than their peers, according to a new study.

However, treatment of so-called gestational diabetes reduces the risk.

Dr. Teresa A. Hillier and her colleagues studied nearly 10,000 mother-child pairs enrolled in Kaiser Permanente plans in Hawaii and in the Pacific Northwest during the period from 1995 to 2000. Women with preexisting diabetes were excluded.

Follow-up with the children 5 to 7 years later revealed a significant association between their weight and their mothers' blood glucose levels when tested during pregnancy, the researchers report in the medical journal Diabetes Care.

Specifically, a child was 28 percent more likely to be overweight or obese when the glucose level of the mother during pregnancy was in the top range rather than the lowest.

According to Hillier's team, the trend remained significant after factoring in maternal weight gain, maternal age, number of pregnancies, ethnicity, and birth weight.

However, further analysis showed that the risk of obesity was not significantly increased among children born to mothers with treated gestational diabetes.

"Our results suggest that 'metabolic imprinting' of the future child for obesity occurs with one or more abnormalities on an oral glucose tolerance test," Hillier and her associates conclude. "The risk is modifiable by treating gestational diabetes."

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, September 2007.

How to use a Prefold diaper?

Prefolds are easy to use, these cloth diapers are prefolded. It just needs to be pinned via normal dritz pins, snappis or folded into a waterproof diaper cover that will transform it as an all-in-one diaper. It can also be used as a soaker with a diaper cover, or a pocket-diaper for a waterproof experience.

Click on the images below to see detailed instructions for using prefolds
A. For use in the Aplix / Snap diaper or a Diaper Cover
B. Angel Wing Fold
C. Navel defence (for newborn)
D. Night Time Doubler
E. Daytime Doubler
F. Bikini Twist (for baby with heavy thigh)






Prefolds available at The Baby Loft

Celebrity moms talk about parenting...

A few awesome snippets of parenting from Kate Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Helen Hunt, Thandie Newton, Salma Hayek...in many ways celebrities have the same joys and worries just like us...

"I'm very impatient. I like to get things done. I move fast. Patience has been something he's teaching me" - Kate Hudson

"You can't believe you have this without a license, without any training. You learn as you go" - Sigourney Weaver

"they'll do what you do and not what you say" - Helen Hunt

"I remember the first time Ripley saw her shadow. My god. It was like shadows had just been invented." - Thandie Newton

"I relearned how to love everything around me, too." - Salma Hayek

Read the full story at:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20080508/d_celebmoms08.art.htm

My Little Green Secrets

Thank you for all your wonderful entries, the contest is now closed, and Wai will be receiving a gift voucher from The Baby Loft. Thanks to your wonderful little green secrets, we have decided to keep this an ongoing segment, so we can all continue to find new ways to keep our planet healthy for our children and their children. You may continue to submit your entries to blog@thebabyloft.com
******
Winner of My Little Green Secret
We can wrap gifts with natural and reusable materials. For example, we can reuse wrappers given by others or we can make use of cloth as wrappers. When we give cooking utensils or ingredients(dried herbs or etc) to our friends who love cooking, we can wrap it with apron or table cloth. It's like a gift within gift. Marvelous! - Wai
~~~
Over the last year, when my bulb blows out, we go and buy an energy saving bulb to replace it. Now we use less energy with that same lamp. It's a very gradual change but it reduces our monthly electric bill and it's good for the environment - Amy
~~~
When we have to save leftover food in the fridge, we cover it with another plate or put it in a washable container. Never use Cling Wrap or Ziploc bags unless you have to! - Lee Min
~~~
I put a fold-able cloth shopping bag in my handbag and in my car so that whenever I am out doing shopping or marketing I can make use of it instead of using plastic bag. - Molly
~~~
I try to use more energy-saving tools or items in my daily usage. For example, in my house, we use only enerygy-saving lights bulbs. I also make use of multi-level steamer which can cook the rice, and steam dishes at the same time which save me money and time and it is healthier way than frying in oil. My husband also bought me a very good thermal pot which cut my cooking time to more than half. I use it to cook my baby's porridge which reduces the cooking time from 30mins to 10mins and it keeps it warm until she is ready for her meal. I use it a lot for making soups and hot desserts as well. Good investment and good for the earth. - Molly
~~~
One simple thing that requires no effort...we print on both sides of the paper. The printer is never loaded with paper, the paper to reuse is right next to the printer. If someone in the family needs to print something for formal use, they actually have to reach in the drawer to get clean paper. - Steven
~~~
I try to live a more earth-friendly way when I choose a new job nearer to my workplace so that I can carpool with my husband as well as use less petrol. Even though the job pay lesser than the other job offer, I find it worthwhile as it also lessens the stress of being caught in a traffic jam, not to mention higher car petrol bill. - Bang Ai
~~~
Although the best thing is to not use any plastics, most of us cannot live without it. I learned that even though you can recycle a lot of plastic products, the lower the number printed at the bottom, the more likely it can be recycled. - Georgia
~~~
I gather all recycled paper, envelopes, plastic bags, bottles, containers, clothes neatly so that it is easier to locate, use or give away. - Molly
~~~
Technology has helped us to be more environmental-friendly. Whenever possible, I would use E-cards, E-mails, E-statements, and etc. I pay my bills online, I get my utilities companies sent my statement electronically, use E-filing for my income tax and in my company we try to go paperless as possible in our documentations, notices, forms etc. This help to reduce the amount of papers we used. - Lim
~~~
My whole family practice vegetarianism. I think this is a good way to help the environment by being a vegetarian as the it helps to reduce animal agriculture which can contributes to global warming and environmental destruction. I think everyone can do the same, starting with perhaps one meal per day or one day in every week for a start. :) - Molly
~~~
I bring my own thermos mug to get my daily coffee from Starbucks or Coffee Bean, so we throw away one less paper cup. - Emily
~~~
It is nice to have a vase of fresh plant / flower in the bathroom. So, I use old glass Nescafe container for this purpose. The shape of the container is quite nice. And some more, it’s free. I have 3 bathrooms in the house, so I save more money there :) - Zarita
~~~
I unplug all my chargers when I am not using them. Supposedly even if you have nothing turned on or actively charging, it is still leaking electricity. It reduces your bill and saves money too - D'Lynn

BabyLegs...from Hollywood to your home

We started off getting BabyLegs for my little ones to easily keep their arms/legs warm when we get into an air-conditioned room. Now we've found so many new ways to wear BabyLegs, even for Daddy and Mommy! It is versatile and fun, and we decided to share it with all our friends at TBL too.

Most popular for babies and toddlers, celebrity moms and dads have been fans of BabyLegs for their little ones since the company’s 2005 debut. Mira Sorvino, Keri Russell, Halle Berry, Dr. Drew, Angie Harmon, Sheryl Crow, Adam Corolla, Holly Robinson-Peete, Angela Bassett, Tia Carrere and Diane Farr are just a few of the celebrity moms and dads smitten with BabyLegs!

BabyLegs is now available at The Baby Loft:
Malaysia Store
US Store

Despite myth, old age is the happiest time, research says

This article makes me look forward to aging gracefully :)

By LINDSEY TANNER
AP Medical Writer

CHICAGO (AP) -- Newsflash for rock stars and teenagers: It turns out everything doesn't go downhill as we age -- the golden years really are golden.

That's according to eye-opening research in the U.S. that found the happiest people are the oldest, and older adults are more socially active than the stereotype of the lonely senior suggests.

The two go hand-in-hand -- being social can help keep away the blues.

"The good news is that with age comes happiness," said study author Yang Yang, a University of Chicago sociologist. "Life gets better in one's perception as one ages."

A certain amount of distress in old age is inevitable, including aches, pains and deaths of loved ones and friends. But older people generally have learned to be more content with what they have than younger adults, Yang said.

This is partly because older people have learned to lower their expectations and accept their achievements, said Duke University aging expert Linda George. An older person may realize "it's fine that I was a schoolteacher and not a Nobel prize winner."

George, who was not involved in the new study, believes the research is important because the general public continues to think that "late life is far from the best stage of life, and they don't look forward to it."

Yang's findings are based on periodic face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample of Americans from 1972 to 2004. About 28,000 people aged 18 to 88 took part.

There were ups and downs in overall happiness levels during the study, generally corresponding with good and bad economic times. But at every stage, older Americans were the happiest.

While younger blacks and poor people tended to be less happy than whites and wealthier people, those differences faded as people aged.

In general, the odds of being happy increased 5 percent with every 10 years of age.

Overall, about 33 percent of Americans reported being very happy at age 88, versus about 24 percent of those age 18 to their early 20s. And throughout the study years, most Americans reported being very happy or pretty happy; less than 20 percent said they were not too happy.

A separate University of Chicago study found that about 75 percent of people aged 57 to 85 engage in one or more social activities at least every week. Those include socializing with neighbors, attending religious services, volunteering or going to group meetings.

Those in their 80s were twice as likely as those in their 50s to do at least one of these activities.

Both studies appear in April's American Sociological Review.

"People's social circles do tend to shrink a little as they age -- that is mainly where that stereotype comes from, but that image of the isolated elderly really falls apart when we broaden our definition of what social connection is," said study co-author Benjamin Cornwell, also a University of Chicago researcher.

The research rings true for 81-year-old George O'Hare, a retired Sears manager in Willowbrook, Illinois. He's active with church, AARP and does motivational speaking, too. His wife is still living, and he's close to his three sons and four grandchildren.

"I'm very happy because I've made friends that are still living," O'Hare said. "I like to go out and speak in schools about motivation."

"Happiness is getting out and being with people, and that's why I recommend it," he said.

Ilse Siegler, an 84-year-old retired nurse manager in Chicago, has a slightly different perspective. Her husband died 35 years ago; she still misses him everyday.

She has vision problems and has slowed down with age. Yet, she still swims, runs a social group in her condo building, volunteers in a retirement home and is active with her temple. These all help "make life more enjoyable," she said.

While Siegler said these aren't the happiest years of her life, she's content.

"Contentment as far as I'm concerned comes with old age ... because you accept things the way they are," she said. "You know that nothing is perfect."

Cornwell's nationally representative study was based on in-home interviews with 3,005 people in 2005-06. While it didn't include nursing home residents, only about 4 percent of Americans aged 75 to 84 are in nursing homes, Cornwell said.

It's all good news for the aging population. However, Yang's study also found that baby boomers were the least happy. They could end up living the unfortunate old-age stereotype if they can't let go of their achievement-driven mind-set, said George, the Duke aging expert.

So far, baby boomers -- those born in the late 40s and 50s as soldiers returned from World War II -- aren't lowering their aspirations at the same rate earlier generations did. "They still seem to believe that they should have it all," George said. "They're still thinking about having a retirement that's going to let them do everything they haven't done yet."

Previous research also has shown that mid-life tends to be the most stressful time, said Cornell University sociologist Elaine Wethington. "Everyone's asking you to do things, and you have a lot to do. You're less happy because you feel hassled."

The new studies show "if you can make it through that," there's light at the end of the tunnel, Wethington said.

Jolie-Pitts ride in MacLaren stroller

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie take their daughters Zahara and Shiloh for a walk in a MacLaren Twin stroller.



Now you can get a MacLaren stroller at The Baby Loft too, buy on our online store, or come into our Desa Parkcity boutique to try the strollers first!

Positions for wearing a baby ring sling

The Cradle Hold
This hold is most popular for newborns, but can also be used with an older child or a nursing baby.

Pull the inner fabric up on your chest, creating a "pocket" for your baby to sit in. Place your child in the sling with his feet on the side with the rings. (slings can also be used with the child's head on the same side as the rings. Either way is fine; it all comes down to what is more comfortable for you and your baby.) When the baby is comfortably in the sling with his head either inside or outside the sling (again, whatever is more comfortable for your child) pull the tail of the sling to tighten it. You can make the sling fit more snugly by adjusting the top and bottom rail independently.

Vertical Position
After pulling all the material around your back tightly, put your baby inside the sling with his bottom resting on the bottom rail, his tummy against yours, and his head resting on your upper chest. Holding him securely with your left hand, pull the fabric around him tightly, holding all of the slack between your hand and the rings. Gently tighten the sling with the top rail covering or mostly covering his head. This is for a newborn carry; a baby with head control will not need his head covered by the sling but may still enjoy the vertical position.

Kangaroo Carry
This position works best with younger babies who have head control. Put on your sling and create a pocket as if you were planning to use it in the cradle position. Cross your baby's legs ("Indian Style") and place the baby inside sitting up with his back against your chest. While supporting your baby's weight, pull on the tail to tighten the sling.

Front Carry
Put your child in the sling facing sideways; he will be facing the rings. Be sure the bottom rail comes out to your child's knees. If your child is restless or tired, you can place his arms inside the sling. Tighten the sling until your child is secure.

Hip Carry
This is an excellent position for heavy toddlers because your hip is used to support your child's weight. Put your child in your sling resting on your hip with your child's legs straddling you. The bottom of the sling should extend out to your child's knees. The top of the sling should come up to his shoulder blades. This position can be used with the child's arms inside or outside the sling. Tighten the sling until your child is secure.

Back Carry
The back carry position is recommended for children who are at least one year old. Put your sling on with the rings too high (either on or behind your shoulder.) Place your child in the sling as far back on your hip as possible with his arms covered. Tighten your sling until your child is secure. Carefully slide your baby around to your back. Until you are familiar with this position it's a good idea to have someone help make sure your child is secure in the sling. The back carry position should only be used with a cooperative child.

As long as you and your baby are both comfortable, there really is no "wrong" way to use your sling. The more you use it, the easier it becomes, and the more indispensable it will be to you.

These positions can be used with The Baby Loft's LOFTSling

Happy Earth Day!

Thanks for sharing Earth Day with The Baby Loft!

~~ Get started today...Earth Day is a chance to reflect on our lifestyles and see if we can change one little thing about it to extend the lifespan of our planet ~~

- Cloth Diapers are all 5% off at TBL until April 25th...shop now!
- Keep posted to the blog, we have received many of your entries for My Little Green Secret, and will be publishing our special edition end of this month. Continue to email us with your entries until end of April!

Earth Day special edition - My Little Green Secret - send yours in today!

Earth Day is on April 22nd, are you doing your part to help make our planet a better place for us and our future generations?

The Baby Loft is putting together an Earth Day special edition for our blog...write to us with a favorite tip to help the environment. For example, I use old mineral water glass bottles to hold an ample supply of drinking water next to our beds. No need to buy new jugs or cups, and that glass bottle didnt have be thrown away!

Here's the best part...we will feature all eligible submissions on our special edition, AND the winning entry will get a gift voucher to shop at The Baby Loft, redeemable at either our Malaysia or U.S. store!

Send your little green secret to us at blog@thebabyloft.com, you can even attach a picture if you want. Then stay tuned for our Earth Day special edition!

Terms and Conditions
* one entry per email address
* all entries must be received by April 30, 2008

Malaysians in Motion featured in London paper

Update on our TBL friend's journey around the world...14 days till it starts!

They have been featured in a London newspaper: Island family to explore the world

Keep track of Alison's journey at Malaysians in Motion. Have you noticed the interesting things on their preparation list...potty, child monitors, and all these baby essentials we take for granted.

Are you ready for kids?

FOLLOW THESE 14 SIMPLE TESTS BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO HAVE CHILDREN


Test 1 - Preparation

Women : To prepare for pregnancy:-
1. Put on a dressing gown and stick a beanbag down the front.
2. Leave it there.
3. After 9 months remove 5% of the beans.

Men: To prepare for children:-
1. Go to a local chemist, tip the contents of your wallet onto the counter and tell the pharmacist to help himself
2. Go to the supermarket. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home. Pick up the newspaper and read it for the last time


Test 2 - Knowledge
1. Find a couple who are already parents and berate them about their methods of discipline, lack of patience, appallingly low tolerance levels and how they have allowed their children to run wild.
2. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's sleeping habits, toilet training, table manners and overall behaviour.
Enjoy it. It will be the last time in your life that you will have all the answers.


Test 3 - Nights

To discover how the nights will feel:
1. Walk around the living room from 5pm to 10pm carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 4-6kg, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly.
2. At 10pm, put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 11pm and walk the bag around the living room until 1am.
4. Set the alarm for 3am.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2am and make a cup of tea.
6. Go to bed at 2.45am.
7. Get up again at 3am when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs in the dark until 4am.
9. Put the alarm on for 5am. Get up when it goes off.
10. Make breakfast.
Keep this up for 5 years. LOOK CHEERFUL.


Test 4 - Dressing Small Children
1. Buy a live octopus and a string bag.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the string bag so that no arms hang out.
Time Allowed: 5 minutes.


Test 5 - Cars
1. Forget the BMW. Buy a practical 5-door wagon.
2. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glovebox. Leave it there.
3. Get a coin. Insert it into the CD player.
4. Take a box of chocolate biscuits; mash them into the back seat.
5. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.


Test 6 - Going For a Walk
1. Wait
2. Go out the front door
3. Come back in again
4. Go out
5. Come back in again
6. Go out again
7. Walk down the front path
8. Walk back up it
9. Walk down it again
10. Walk very slowly down the road for five minutes.
11. Stop, inspect minutely and ask at least 6 questions about every piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue and dead insect along the way.
12. Retrace your steps
13. Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbours come out and stare at you.
14. Give up and go back into the house.
You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.


Test 7
Repeat everything you say at least 5 times.


Test 8 - Grocery Shopping
1. Go to the local supermarket. Take with you the nearest thing you can find to a pre-school child - a fully grown goat is excellent. If you intend to have more than one child, take more than one goat.
2. Buy your weekly groceries without letting the goat(s) out of your sight.
3. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys.
Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.


Test 9 - Feeding a 1 year-old
1. Hollow out a melon
2. Make a small hole in the side
3. Suspend the melon from the ceiling and swing it side to side
4. Now get a bowl of soggy cornflakes and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon while pretending to be an aeroplane.
5. Continue until half the cornflakes are gone.
6. Tip the rest into your lap, making sure that a lot of it falls on the floor.


Test 10 - TV
1. Learn the names of every character from the Wiggles, Barney, Teletubbies and Disney.
2. Watch nothing else on television for at least 5 years.


Test 11 - Mess

Can you stand the mess children make? To find out:
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains
2. Hide a fish behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flowerbeds and then rub them on clean walls. Cover the stains with crayon. How does that look?


Test 12 - Long Trips with Toddlers
1. Make a recording of someone shouting 'Mummy' repeatedly.
Important Notes: No more than a 4 second delay between each Mummy.
Include occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet.
2. Play this tape in your car, everywhere you go for the next 4 years
You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.


Test 13 - Conversations
1. Start talking to an adult of your choice.
2. Have someone else continually tug on your shirt hem or shirt sleeve while playing the Mummy tape listed above.
You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.


Test 14 - Getting ready for work
1. Pick a day on which you have an important meeting.
2. Put on your finest work attire.
3. Take a cup of cream and put 1 cup of lemon juice in it
4. Stir
5. Dump half of it on your nice silk shirt
6. Saturate a towel with the other half of the mixture
7. Attempt to clean your shirt with the same saturated towel
8. Do not change (you have no time).
9. Go directly to work


You are now ready to have children. ENJOY!!

TBL U.S. online store is now open

Visit The Baby Loft's U.S. store - http://americas.thebabyloft.com.

Spring sale going on with 10-30% discounts, and free shipping with $150 order! Hope to see you all there soon!

Congratulations to our Slingshots winner!

Congratulations to our February winner Zarita bt. Hussain!
See all the other lovely Sling Mommies and Daddies in our slingshots photo gallery!!

You can join too - please scroll to the bottom of our online store for more details...

Shop now, take a slingshot, and send in your pictures...Get a LoftSling or a LoftPouch!

The Baby Loft's Events Calendar

Featuring our new Events Calendar - Check often to see what's going on!


Events are held at:
The Baby Loft
Parenting Resource Boutique
@ DESA PARKCITY

FF21, The Waterfront @ Parkcity, 5 Persiaran Residen, Desa Parkcity 52200 Kuala Lumpur (map)

FREE Babywearing 101 workshop @ TBL Desa Parkcity

Hi TBL Moms and Dads, we will be holding a Babywearing 101 workshop at our new studio in Desa Parkcity. This is an awesome chance to come and learn what baby carrier works best for you, how to use your sling, and other tips/tricks. You'll find ways to use the sling that you've never thought about.

Come and meet other Moms and Dads just like you. Feel free to bring your little ones, and bring your slings if you have one already. Babywearing veterans, please come and share your tips!

Location: TBL Parenting Resource Boutique at Desa Parkcity
FF21, The Waterfront @ Parkcity, 5 Persiaran Residen, Desa Parkcity 52200 Kuala Lumpur (map)

Date/Time: May 10, Saturday, 3-4pm

Agenda:
- What type of baby carriers work best for you?
- What type of fabrics should you look for?
- What are the different positions to use the sling? What are the other ways you can use the sling?
- Tips/Tricks, Questions, Discussions, Social time

We look forward to seeing you there! Limited spaces, please Register Now!

April Fools Day recipe - Mock Sushi

There's definitely something fishy about these Japanese-style rolls. The rice is crispy, the wraps are fruity, and your kids will love them -- no fooling!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups crisped rice cereal
20 to 25 gummy worms
1 to 2 boxes of fruit leather
12- by 17-inch baking sheet
2-quart saucepan
1. Grease a 12- by 17-inch baking pan.

2. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.

3. Add the marshmallows and stir until smooth.

4. Remove mixture from heat and stir in the rice cereal until it's evenly coated.

5. Turn the baking sheet so that the shorter ends are at the top and bottom. Then press the marshmallow mixture on the sheet, distributing it evenly.

6. Starting at one side and 1 inch up from the lower edge, place gummy worms atop the mixture end to end in a horizontal line.

7. Gently roll the lower edge of the marshmallow mixture over the gummy worms.

8. Then stop and cut the log away from the rest of the mixture. Use the same method for 4 more logs.

9. Slice each log in 1-inch-thick "sushi" rolls and wrap them individually with a strip of fruit leather.

Credit to FamilyFun.com

Mark Twain

Inspired by the quote on Alison's Malaysians in Motion site:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Malaysians in Motion - A family around-the-world expedition

Alison has been a wonderful friend to us at The Baby Loft for years, join us in following her family adventure. As the family begins their around-the-world expedition in a couple months, Adrian (her 3-year-old son) will have a personal journal featured on their website Malaysians in Motion.

The Baby Loft is proud to be a part of their journey, and we can't wait to share in their ups and downs as they bring Adrian on this very exceptional journey!

A couple interesting parts to their site:
~ Adrian's journal
~ Recent article in New Straits Times
~ Preparation for the trip, and we thought packing our children for a weekend trip was tough enough!

Edible playdough

Make some edible play-dough for your kids at home. You can be sure it is safe...play with it then they can even eat it as a snack!

Equal parts:
Peanut Butter
Honey
Powdered Milk

Credit to Kate Gosselin...from the TV show "Jon and Kate plus 8"...the Gosselins show us all how to take parenting in stride, enjoy the good and laugh off the challenges.

Apple - age 4 months

Choose a sweet variety of eating apple and peel, halve, core and slice 2. Put them into a saucepan, cover with water and cook on a low heat until they are soft. approx 10 minutes.Then puree. (For a more healthier way steam the apples over the water.)

Strip-washing diapers

Diapers sometimes need to be stripped in order to remove the residue left on the fleece by detergents and/or softener.

Fill a sink with hot water and add in some dish washing detergent. Hand wash your diapers, rubbing the fleece vigorously together or use a medium bristle dish brush or hard bristle tooth brush to scrub the fleece. Turn inside out and repeat on this side. Rinse very good, making sure that the water runs clear. To make double sure all the detergent has been rinsed out, we recommend washing them again in the washing machine WITHOUT any detergent.

It's best if you do not return to using the same detergent that caused the problem.

Fix stinky diapers

Cloth diapering should never be stinky. If your diapers smell bad as soon as they get used, then there is a problem. Usually the problem is detergent build-up. Occasionally the problem is that they are not getting clean enough.

Smell them when they are wet out of the washer or warm out of the dryer. If they smell at that point, then they are not getting cleaned enough. If they smell fine but stink as soon as your baby pees in it, then they have detergent build-up problem.

Build-up refers to residue left by detergents, fabric softeners, and other substances used to clean diapers. The first suggestion which will work for both problems is to make sure you have enough water in your washing machine and enough "swish" room for your diapers. Some front-loading washing machines do not add enough water to thoroughly soak the diapers and will not do a good job in getting them clean. Adding water to the machine can remedy this problem. Do not overload your machine with diapers or they will not get clean. The diapers need their "swish" room!

If you have detergent build-up, then it is time to strip wash them. Please refer to the section on strip washing the diapers.

Fix leaky diapers

When you receive your cloth diapers, wash and dry them several times in warm water. Brand new diapers require several washings to remove natural plant oils before they become absorbent. Try shaking a few drops of water on your diapers - does the water bead up on the surface or get instantly absorbed? If the water droplets bead up then your diapers need a few more washings in hot or warm water using detergent.

If your baby's diaper leak from around the legs while the inside stays relatively dry, then most probably you have the repelling issue with the fleece. To confirm this, perform the water droplets test on the fleece like we described above.

What if you wash repeatedly - and the fleece is still repelling waters? Then most probably it's the issue with the detergent. Check your detergent to see if it contains fabric softeners. Fabric softeners work by coating fabric fibers - and this coating can greatly decrease absorbency. In Singapore, we have found the brand "Kao Attack" to yield the best result. Dynamo and Persil seems to give rise to this repelling issue.

Refer to the section on strip washing the diapers in order to fix this problem.

Preparing your cloth diaper for first use

We cannot stress often enough how important it is to wash your new diapers and inserts at least three times before using for the first time. This will ensure the absorbency of the cotton and will make the diaper "fluff up." If they are not pre-washed, the diapers will not absorb urine properly, this is because during the manufacturing process, there is a waxy buildup on the cotton.

A great way to pre-wash your diapers is just to wash them with your regular clothes for 3-4 times. Avoid softeners as they create waxy build up on the cloth diapers that will cause the diapers to repel water instead of absorbing it. To test whether the diapers are ready to be used, drop a few drops of water on the fleece. The water should be absorbed straight into the fleece and not bead up on it.

Washing a cloth diaper

After removing a soiled diaper from a baby, shake any solids into the toilet. The fleece is great for releasing anything fairly solid. Remove the insert, then rinse any solids still on the diaper; you may want to add a squirt of hand soap while you are rinsing the diaper and the insert. While not necessary, we highly recommend the mini toilet spray for rinsing any dirty diapers. Finally, drop the diaper into your dry diaper pail ready to be laundered.

We normally wash our diapers at about 60 degrees Celsius. You may hang your diapers to dry (The sun naturally bleaches out any stains!) or put them in the dryer on LOW heat!

A Few Important Tips:

Caring for your diapers properly will keep your diapers looking & performing their best. The following is a list of things that can harm your diapers and cause the fabrics to break down, resulting in a leaky diaper!

• Don't use any bleach products. Bleach leaves a residue on diapers and can cause irritation to the baby's skin. It also breaks down the fibers in the diapers, shortening their life.
• Don't use fabric softener. It will coat the diapers making them water repellent and will cause leaks! Some babies are sensitive to the softener residue left on diapers as well. The same problem might happen if you use dryer sheets in your dryer. If you encounter leaks, try line drying instead.
• Don't use natural soap products such as pure glycerine soap. They may clean the fibers, but a slight oily film or "soap scum" is left on the fleece. When this happens it makes it very difficult for urine to get through the layer of fleece to the insert.
• Don't wash or dry on HOT or HIGH HEAT! The PUL layer (waterproof outer) is meant for warm or low heat only! Preserve the life of your nappies by following this recommendation
• Don't use a nappy barrier or balm cream with these diapers - it will leave a greasy residue on the fleece which is very difficult to remove. If you want to use a cream because of severe nappy rash, use nappy liners to prevent cream getting onto the cloth diaper.

Why use Cloth Diapers?

There has been many discussions on why we should use cloth diaper and not disposables. Whilst there are many good articles in the internet on this issue, followings are some of the reasons on why we should use cloth diapers instead of disposable.........BUT really, if you had a choice, would you rather sit in plastic/paper all day long or soft cotton?

Health Issues
Disposable diapers contain synthetic chemicals and their by products. Examples:

• Dioxin - an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process in the manufacturing of diapers. Dioxin is a known carcinogen toxin that causes cancer. The EPA has lists it as the most toxic of all cancer chemicals and is banned in some countries but not in USA.
• Sodium polyacrylate - This is the chemical added in powder form to the inner pad of a disposable to make it super absorbent. When wet, this polymer will be transformed into a gel-like beads in the diapers. Sometimes, traces of this gel beads can be found on baby's bottom when changing the baby. This polymer can cause skin irritations and severe allergic reactions including vomiting, infections and fever. It was banned from tampons in 1995 because of its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome.
• TRIBUTYL TIN (TBT) - An environmental pollutant considered highly toxic. It spreads thorugh the skin and has a hormone-like effect in the smallest concentration. It harms the immune system and impairs the hormonal system.

Disposables have been associated with the following symptoms:

• Widespread diaper rash - According to the Journal of Pediatrics, 54% of one month old babies using disposable diapers had rashes. Several independent medical studies found an astounding increase in diaper rash from 7% in 1955 to 78% in 1991. Critics of disposables say this parallels the increase in usage of disposables. Reasons of diaper rash has been cited as allergic to chemicals, lack of air, higher temperature because plastic retains body hear and babies are probably changed less frequently because they feel dry and not wet and are thus subject to bacterial growth and the ammonia from the accumulated urine in the diaper.
• Disposables have also been linked to cause asthma.
• Fertility concerns - A 2000 German study found out that disposable diapers raised the temperature of the scrotum far above body temperature anc can lead to a total breakdown of normal cooling mechanism. This may have effect on fertility in the future.

Environment

• Over 27 billion disposable diapers are put in landfills in countries around the world.
• A single disposable diaper may take up to 500 years to decompose.
• In a house with a child, disposable diapers make up almost 50% of household waste.
• Disposable diapers when thrown in landfill may contaminate the water and may cause many diseases.
• Disposable diapers use 20 times more raw materials.
• Cloth diapers are much kinder to the environment.

Cost
Money is always an important consideration when choosing diapering system. In fact disposable diapers are one of the highest perpetual expenses hidden away in the monthly expenditures of families with diaper age children.

The savings associated with using cloth diaper is phenomenal. This saving is enhanced when the diapers are used for another baby. With cloth diapers, although it is expensive initially, but in the long run it will save you a lot of money.

Consider this:- A baby will need around 6,000-8,000 diapers during the first 3 years of his life before potty trained. The following is the average cost of cloth diapers over a 2 1/2 years period that is approximately 7,000 diaper changes. The cost are as follows:

Cloth Diaper

12 AIO Small (including soaker)	12 X RM63 = RM756.00
24 AIO Medium/Large (including soaker)	24 x 73.50 = RM1,764.00
TOTAL for 2 1/2 years	RM 2,520.00

Disposable diapers

Disposable diapers

7,000 x 0.60 sen = RM 4,200.00

For a family of 3 children, the costs of the 2 systems will be as follows. For simplicity, we have assumed that the cost of diapers will remain the same.

	Cloth Diapers	Disposable Diapers
1st Child	RM2,520 (USD 666)	RM4,200 (USD 1,117)
2nd Child	Nil	RM4,200 (USD 1,117)
3rd Child	Nil	RM4,200 (USD 1,117)
Total	RM2,520 (USD 666)	RM12,600 (USD 3,351)

Early Potty Training
As babies grow older, they are more aware of the difference being wet and dry. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, babies diapered with disposables, diapers an average of 36-42 months whilst cloth diapered babies diapers for 24-30 months. This makes babies in cloth diapers potty train a year earlier than those using disposable diapers.

Cloth Diapering Resource Page

This is the main resource page to route you to everything you need to know about Cloth Diapering

~ Why use Cloth Diapers?

~ How to use a Cloth Diaper?: Just got your diaper? Trying to decide which one to get? This is your Cloth Diapers 101 area.

~ Frequently Asked Questions: All your questions answered. Email us at blog@thebabyloft.com if you have a question about cloth diapering.

~ Products: Cloth diapers can be modern, chic and easy-to-use too, you can find many options:
- Bumwear - colorful snap-on with terry inserts
- EASI - all-in-one with a sewn-in soaker
- Freshbots - easy velcro/snaps with cotton inserts
- Prefolds - unbleached 100% cotton to use on its own or as a soaker
- Snappi - multilayered terry cloth
- Bambino Mio - trial packs with everything you need to start
- Training pullups - for those in between stages

~ Reading Corner: Articles and news on Cloth diapering

Slings Resource Page

This is the main resource page to route you to everything you need to know about baby carriers, including slings and pouches.

~ How to use a Sling: Just got your sling? This is your Sling 101 area.

~ Frequently Asked Questions: All your questions answered. Email us at blog@thebabyloft.com if you have a question about babywearing.

~ Products: Baby carriers come in several styles and fabrics. Choose yours to fit your preferences...

Ring Sling - versatile to carry baby in different positions, adjustable for mommy and daddy to share, doubles as a blanket or nursing cover.

Pouch - easy to use with no buckles or rings to fumble with, reversible design, choose cotton for daily use or fashionable silk

~ Photo Gallery: See it for yourself, you can find pictures of other mommies and daddies with their baby carriers.

~ Reading Corner: Articles and news on babywearing

Bubble Fun

Bubbles … homemade with love.
This is a favourite from 6 months to 6 years (maybe more!) Get your camera ready to snap some hearty chuckles from the lil one!

You'll need:
Dishwashing Liquid
Water
Cup
Paper clips (2)

What-to-do:
1. Bend one paper clip to form a circle, the other to form the handle
2. Mix three tablespoons of dishwashing liquid into half cup of water
3. Dip the loop into the mixture and blow steadily through the loop.

Watch what happens...

** Be careful of slippery floors when having bubble fun

Adapted from 'Rainy Day Play" by Nancy Fusco Castaldo

SCRATCH 'n' SNIFF Painting

Ever wonder how to recapture those fun (and pricey) "scratch and sniff" pages in children books? Try this out.

You'll need:
Paper
Craft glue
Paint brush
Gelatin
Food essence

What-to-do:
1. Spread the craft glue over a drawn spot/shape/picture on the paper
2. Brush a drop of food essence of your choice (banana, strawberry, vanilla, mint, … yummy!)
3. Sprinkle powdered gelatin over the wet craft glue with food essence.
4. Let it dry. The craft glue will dry clear and you'll be left with a sweet-smelling "scratch and sniff" spot.

Options:
1. Draw a picture of the fruit (eg. Strawberry).
2. Paint it with watercolors. Leave to dry.
3. Repeat step 1-4 of above, over the painted picture (eg. Strawberry). Use the appropriate food essence (strawberry), and you'll have a yummy yummy picture!

** For babies and toddlers, this activity is great for stimulating their sense of "smell", in a safe and fun way !
** For older kids, have them involved to draw, paint, spread, sprinkle and SMELL their fruits of success!

Adapted from 'Rainy Day Play" by Nancy Fusco Castaldo

Cheese Potato

Daddy's signature dish. It has been a hit with Athan and now his sister, Dionne, too.

Ingredients: (for one kid's portion)

One mid-size potato, very thinly sliced
One slice of cheddar cheese (or any other cheese your child likes)

Cooking:
1. Pan-fry the sliced potato.
2. Place fried potato on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
3. Place fried potato on plate
4. Scatter pieces/shreds of cheese on potato
5. Microwave on High for ONE minute

Options:
Cut the Cheese Potato into bite size for younger kids.
For a more exciting "gourmet" dish, try adding toppings to your cheese potato. The cheese potato will be just like the pizza base, you can have fun with kids' favourite toppings - mushrooms, tuna, chicken, tomatoes, shredded carrot, and more cheese !

Tips for cooking Asian food for baby

Preparing ingredients for baby-food:

RICE: Wash the rice, dry it in sun/low-heat oven, grind it fine, store in container for use. Porridge cooked with ground rice takes a shorter time to cook (great for busy mums). There's no need to blend baby's food before each meal.

IKAN BILIS: Do the same for Ikan Bilis. Wash-Dry-Grind-Store. A small amount is added to baby's food when cooking. Remember, Ikan Bilis has high salt-content. Use in moderation.

NATURAL FLAVOR ENHANCER, without the salt or sugar: SHALLOTS, KEI-CHEE, RED DATES.
Use to add flavor to porridge, naturally. No need for seasonings. Red Dates are also naturally rich in iron, put in 2-3 when cooking porridge to make it healthy, and yummy.

Reasons to Cloth Diaper

by Robin Elise Weiss, LCCE

Cloth diapering used to be the norm because - well, let's face it - that's what was available. As disposable diapers were invented and became popular, cloth diapering became something that not everyone did. Eventually it became thought of as more work for less benefit.

You've probably thought of many reasons why cloth diapering may not be for you. Perhaps the cost worries you. Maybe you're worried about messy diaper leaks from cloth diapers. Or maybe you simply don't know enough about cloth diapers to even formulate an opinion.

Cloth diapers have come a long way from rubber pants and diaper pins. Nowadays there are literally scores of choices. From simple all-in-ones (AIOs) to prefolds with wraps (no more diaper pins on most), there are tons of choices to keep your baby covered.

There are many benefits of cloth diapering. Here are some of the most often heard:
- Cost Savings
Cloth diapers can cost a bit of money to get started, but in the long run cloth diaper users are often ahead of the game in expenditures. If you figure that the average newborn goes through 8-12 diapers a day, 6-8 diapers a day for an older baby, that can really add up at the cost of about $0.29 per disposable diaper, and rising.

- Better for Baby
Cloth diaper users tend to have less issue with diaper rash, irritated bottoms and other common complaints from disposable diaper parents. Fewer chemicals touch the baby's bottom and the less likely they are to be sensitive. If you do have a sensitive baby, you can choose very natural, even organic, materials to use for the diapers that go on your baby.

- Better for the Environment
This one will be hotly debated for some time, but in general it is established that cloth diapers don't take up room in landfills and take hundreds of years to break down. The reduce, reuse and recycle concept means less trash for the environment.

- Less Time in Diapers
Many parents will tell you that they spent less time trying to potty train or educate their child about elimination communication (EC) when they used cloth diapers.

- Adorable!
Okay, it's also important to look at cloth diapering as a fashion statement. Cloth diapers are cute! They come in fashion colors and prints. Have fun with it!

About the author:
Robin Elise Weiss, BA, ICCE-CPE, CLC, CD(DONA), LCCE, FACCE is a childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, doula trainer, lactation counselor, and proud mother of seven beautiful children.

Copyright: about.com

Foods known to cause allergies in babies

This list of baby foods to avoid contains foods known to provoke allergic reactions or digestive problems in babies. This doesn't mean that all these foods will make your child unwell. But if you're worried that your baby is very sensitive - maybe because you have a food allergy yourself - then it is definitely worth avoiding them for the first year, at least.

Baby Foods To Avoid - Foods Likely To Cause An Allergic Reaction Or Digestive Problem
Eggs (especially the whites)
Cow's milk
Peanuts or peanut butter
Shellfish - lobster, prawns, crab and shrimp
Wheat
Chocolate
Soy
Pork
Gluten - contained in wheat, oats and barley
Fish - particularly plaice, tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines
Berries - especially strawberries
Cinnamon
Citrus fruits - orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime and tangerine
Sesame seeds/sesame oil
Coconut
Corn
Tomatoes
Yeast

Baby Foods To Avoid - Foods That Present A Choking Hazard
Nuts
Large chunks of fruit or vegetables, raw or cooked
Large chunks of meat
Whole grapes or cherry tomatoes - always cut into quarters
Popcorn
Seeds
Raisins - wait until your baby has teeth and is chewing well

Baby Foods To Avoid - Honey
NEVER give honey to a baby under one year of age.

Honey can contain botulism spores. In babies, the spores can grow and produce life-threatening toxins.

Do not use honey to sweeten yogurt, or in any other form, before your baby's first birthday.

Credit: Homemade Baby Food Recipes

Have you visited The Baby Loft's new boutique yet?

The Baby Loft has added many exclusive items at our parenting resource boutique in Desa Parkcity, have you stopped by to take a look?
- baby cots and mattresses
- strollers from MacLaran and other dependable name brands
- chic maternity wear by Runway Maternity (c)
- extended collection of nursing wear and kiddie clothing

We will also be starting classes soon at the studio, including prenatal yoga, birth confidence, baby signing, baby massage, hypnobirthing...keep yourself posted for announcements at the main TBL website. Email us and tell us your ideas for workshops that you would like to attend!

The next 3D Baby Hands & Feet Sculpturing session is on Mar 23, 2008, sign up now.

FF21, The Waterfront @ Parkcity, 5 Persiaran Residen, Desa Parkcity 52200 Kuala Lumpur (I need a map!!)

Come to check us out, and try on the products that you see online!

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt take their kids out in slings

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have 4 kids, and twins on the way! I'm guessing they need every parenting trick they can find! Here they use the pouch style slings, which are easy to set up, no buckles to fumble with.




Get your own pouch sling from The Baby Loft - LOFTPouch

Funny...

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?

GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the
ground than you are.

Honey seems to calm children's coughs in 1-night study

By CARLA K. JOHNSON

CHICAGO (AP) -- A teaspoon of honey before bed seems to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better, according to a new study that relied on parents' reports of their children's symptoms.

The folk remedy did better than cough medicine or no treatment in a three-way comparison. Honey may work by coating and soothing an irritated throat, the study authors said.

"Many families are going to relate to these findings and say that grandma was right," said lead author Dr. Ian Paul of Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine.

The research appears in December's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

U.S. health advisers have recently warned that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines should not be used in children younger than 6, and manufacturers are taking some products for babies off the market.

Three pediatricians who read the study said they would tell parents seeking alternative remedies to try honey. They noted that honey should not be given to children under age 1 because of a rare but serious risk of botulism.

For the research, researchers recruited 105 children with upper respiratory infections from a clinic in Pennsylvania. Parents were given a paper bag with a dosing device inside. Some were empty. Some contained an age-appropriate dose of honey-flavored cough medicine containing dextromethorphan. And some contained a similar dose of honey.

The parents were asked about their children's sleep and cough symptoms, once before the bedtime treatment and once after. They rated the symptoms on a seven-point scale.

All of the children got better, but honey consistently scored best in parents' rating of their children's cough symptoms.

"Give them a little time and they'll get better," said Pat Jackson Allen, a professor at Yale University School of Nursing.

The study was funded by a grant from the National Honey Board, an industry-funded agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency had no influence over the study design, data or results, Paul said.

Study sees rise in imaging exams for pregnant women

CHICAGO, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Pregnant women are receiving more high-tech imaging exams, exposing their babies to higher doses of radiation than a decade ago, a study said on Tuesday.

While the levels of radiation exposure are low, they carry a slight risk of harm to the developing fetus, said study author Elizabeth Lazarus, a professor of diagnostic imaging at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

A review of 5,235 imaging examinations performed on pregnant women at Brown from 1997 to 2006 found the number of those exams rose 121 percent. The exams included computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine and plain film X-rays.

An abdominal ultrasound, a routine exam performed during pregnancy, does not expose the patient to ionizing radiation, which can cause cell damage.

CT exams, which deliver more radiation than other procedures, saw the the greatest increase in use, rising by about 25 percent a year. Use of X-rays increased 7 percent a year, and nuclear medical exams rose by 12 percent annually.

CT scans are used in pregnancy only to detect potentially life-threatening conditions such as bleeding in the brain, blood clots in the lungs or appendicitis.

Researchers estimated the average fetal radiation exposure for CT was 0.69 rads, compared to 0.04 rads for nuclear tests and 0.0015 rads for X-rays. The data were released at a meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

"A patient being recommended for a test like this should talk to their doctor to find out if there are any alternative tests or if there is any harm waiting," Lazarus said in an interview.

"But if one of these tests is needed, we would not discourage any patients from undergoing one, because making a diagnosis could also be life-saving."

(Reporting by Susan Kelly, editing by Philip Barbara)

My back aches from using a sling

If your back begins to feel strained, make sure your baby is pulled close to your body. Tighten the sling as necessary.

Nature tops nurture in childhood obesity

LONDON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Diet and lifestyle play a far smaller role than genetic factors in determining whether a child becomes overweight, according to a British study of twins published on Thursday.

Researchers looking at more than 5,000 pairs of twins wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that genes account for about three-quarters of the differences in a child's waistline and weight.

"Contrary to the widespread assumption that family environment is the key factor in determining weight gain, we found this was not the case," said Jane Wardle, director of Cancer Research UK's Health Behaviour Centre, who led the study.

Previous studies have pointed to environmental factors as the main cause of obesity, a major problem worldwide that increases the risk later in life of type-2 diabetes, cancer and heart problems.

The World Health Organisation classifies around 400 million people worldwide as obese, including 200 million children under the age of five.

The British team looked at pairs of identical twins who share all their genes and compared their measurements with those of non-identical twins who share only half their genes.

A statistical analysis found that the differences in the children's body mass index and waist circumference were 77 percent attributable to genes and 23 percent due to the environment in which the children were growing up.

BMI is calculated by dividing weight by the square of height.

"These results do not mean that a child with a high complement of 'susceptibility genes' will inevitably become overweight, but that their genetic endowment gives them a stronger predisposition," the researchers said.

The results suggest that parents whose children are at the greatest genetic risk may need support to make sure they provide a healthy environment, the researchers said.

"This study shows that it is wrong to place all the blame for a child's excessive weight gain on the parents," the researchers said.

(Reporting by Michael Kahn, Editing by Will Dunham and Tim Pearce)

My baby doesn't seem to like the sling. Am I doing something wrong?

Most babies like the snug, cuddling feeling of being carried in a sling, but some take a little longer to get used to it. If your baby is fussy in the sling, here are a few suggestions:

Move around immediately
Eventually you will be able to be less active with your baby in the sling, but at first, and if the baby seems restless, start walking as soon as you have him secured in the sling. The rhythmic motion will be soothing, and your baby will enjoy all the sights from his new perspective.

Give her a few minutes to get used to it
As with anything new, being in a sling can take some getting used to. If your baby isn't crying, but is just a bit fussy, give him a few minutes to adjust to being inside the sling. If he becomes very upset, take him out and try again later. This might mean in an hour, a few days, a week or even a month later. A baby who seemed to hate being in the sling at 2 months old may surprisingly enjoy it at 3 months old. I found with my daughter that positioning was what made the difference. She didn't like the cradle hold when she was newborn, but did enjoy the vertical position with her head only slightly covered for support. (I used my hand to provide all the support she needed until she could hold it up herself.) We still use our sling daily, and she's 17 months old.

Relax!
Your baby will sense your tension. If you are frustrated with not being able to expertly tighten the sling, take a deep breath, or try again later when you are feeling more relaxed. It may be that just a change in position will make the difference with how your baby reacts to being inside the sling.

Hold your baby through the sling
Put the sling loosely around your baby. Continue to hold her with your arms. As she begins to relax, gradually tighten the sling until she is being completely supported by it.

Feed your baby
Your little one may be more accepting of the sling if she is being nursed.

A fight with your spouse could be good for health

CHICAGO, Jan 23, 2008 (AFP) - A good fight with your spouse could be good for the health, a new study has found.

Couples who suppressed their anger have a mortality rate twice as high as those in which at least one partner stands up for themselves, according to the study which tracked 192 US couples for 17 years.

"When couples get together, one of their main jobs is reconciliation about conflict," said lead author Ernest Harburg, an emeritus professor with the University of Michigan.

"The key matter is, when the conflict happens, how do you resolve it?" he said.

"When you don't, if you bury your anger, and you brood on it and you resent the other person or the attacker, and you don't try to resolve the problem, then you're in trouble."

Previous studies have shown that suppressing anger increases stress-related illnesses like heart disease and high blood pressure.

This study looks at how suppressed anger and the resulting buildup of resentment in a marriage affects overall mortality rates.

It adjusted for age, smoking, weight, blood pressure, bronchial problems, breathing, and cardiovascular risk.

Harburg and his colleagues used a questionnaire to determine how the spouses responded to behaviour that they perceived as unfair.

Both spouses suppressed their anger in 26 of the couples while at least one spouse expressed their anger in the remaining 166 couples.

At least one death was recorded in half the couples who suppressed their anger, whereas only 26 percent of the other couples suffered from the death of a spouse.

And the anger-supressing couples were nearly five times more likely to both be dead 17 years later, the study found.

Harburg cautioned that the results are still preliminary and do not constitute a representative sample of current marital relationships.

The study period covers couples interviewed in 1971 and measures survival through 1988.

It was carried out in a small, predominantly white and middle class town in Michigan and most of the women were "housewives" born before the sexual revolution.

An upcoming analysis of survival rates 30 years later will yield more reliable results, Harburg said.

The paper will appear in the January edition of the Journal of Family Communication.

Here's how to get helpful exercise during pregnancy

By MARJIE GILLIAM

Cox News Service

DAYTON, Ohio -- It was once believed that pregnant women should refrain from physical activity during pregnancy, but it is now known that exercise is good for both mothers-to-be and babies during this time. Virtually every ache, pain and discomfort that goes along with pregnancy can be alleviated or lessened with exercise.

Lisa Druxman, founder of Stroller Strides and author of "Lean Mommy," states that most women find that they can continue with their pre-pregnancy workout routine throughout pregnancy, although they may have to make certain modifications to make it more comfortable.

"To keep mom and baby safe, it's important to create a workout that is geared for pregnancy," Druxman writes. "It is essential to continue to strengthen the abdominals during pregnancy for example. Stronger abs can help prevent back pain, make carrying around a baby more comfortable and may even help in labor. Core exercises are also great, especially standing ones. Not all exercises are appropriate, such as traditional crunches, which are ineffective when the muscle tissue is stretched. After the first trimester, it is not recommended that mom lay on her back when exercising, as this may affect oxygen and blood flow to the baby."

Later in pregnancy, exercises that cause the center of gravity to shift forward, such as cycling, are not recommended.

How often to exercise? Druxman offers this advice:

"Moderate physical activity is recommended on most, if not all, days of the week. This moderate exercise would be equivalent to walking at about 3-4 miles per hour. Higher intensity workouts are considered safe three to five days per week, but not recommended two days in a row. Women who exercised before pregnancy can generally continue throughout, while women who were totally inactive should wait until their second trimester to begin. It is agreed by most authorities that consistency is most important. Women should begin with three times per week and work up to 4-5 times per week. Anything less than that is inconsistent and could potentially do more harm than good."

As for type of exercise, most women can engage in both cardiovascular and strength workouts, with focus on activities that will help adjust for postural changes that occur in pregnancy.

Just about any aerobic activity is appropriate if comfortable. Non-weight-bearing exercises are usually most comfortable, especially in later stages of pregnancy.

Any exercise that poses risk of falling (such as skiing or mountain biking) or trauma to the abdomen is not appropriate due to possible injuries. The general consensus amongst experts is that sessions of 30-60 minutes of activity are appropriate for prenatal exercise. The two primary concerns in relation to long-duration exercise (more than 45 minutes) are energy deficit and thermoregulation.

The saying "eat for two" is no longer considered appropriate, Druxman adds. In fact, new recommendations by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists are to eat to appetite. However, it is necessary to make sure you are taking in enough calories if you are exercising, particularly for long sessions.

All pregnant women should get their doctor's approval before beginning any exercise program. It is important to establish a safe, fun and comfortable routine, one that you will want to continue throughout your pregnancy. Listen to your body and pay close attention to warning signals.

You should stop exercising and seek medical advice if you experience any of the following symptoms:

-- Dizziness

-- Headache

-- Chest pain

-- Muscle weakness

-- Calf pain or swelling

-- Preterm labor

-- Decreased fetal movement

-- Amniotic fluid leakage

-- Bleeding

-- Dyspnea prior to exertion (out of breath, prior to exercise).


Marjie Gilliam is an International Sports Sciences Association Master certified personal trainer and fitness consultant. E-mail: OHTrainer AT aol.com. Her Web site is at www.ohtrainer.com.

Funny...

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math
multiplication on the floor?

JOHN: You told me to do it without using
tables.

Funny...

Kids are Quick

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North
America.

MARIA: Here it is.

TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered
America ?

CLASS: Maria.

Gwen Stefani with her baby sling!!

Stefani is carrying little Kingston in what appears to be THE baby must-have accessory: a baby sling! Get your own ring sling from The Baby Loft - LOFTSling in cotton or silk!

January Events at TBL

We are having a month's long celebration at The Baby Loft's new parenting resource boutique to usher in a brand new year 2008! Check back often on updates and more!

Jan 6th - 3D Baby Hands & Feet Sculpturing
Jan 10th - FREE Preview by trained professionals
- Prenatal Yoga
- Birth Confidence
- Baby Signing
- Baby Massage

Your Parenting Resource Boutique is now open at:
FF21, The Waterfront @ Parkcity, 5 Persiaran Residen, Desa Parkcity 52200 Kuala Lumpur. (map)

Happy 2008!!!

Hello friends, all the best for a Happy 2008!!